The new crew lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida aboard a SpaceX capsule and docked smoothly with the ISS over the weekend. The spacecraft completed its orbital journey before autonomously attaching to the station.
On board were NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, French astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev. The docking was followed by standard safety checks before the hatches were opened and the new crew floated into the station.
The ISS orbits approximately 277 miles above Earth and serves as a microgravity laboratory supporting international collaboration in space research.
Return to Full Crew After Medical Emergency
The arrival comes after a rare medical evacuation earlier this year. One astronaut had to be brought back to Earth following a serious health issue, prompting NASA to return a crew earlier than scheduled.
For several weeks, only three astronauts remained aboard the station. During that period, certain operations, including planned spacewalks, were temporarily paused.
NASA has not disclosed details about the illness, citing medical privacy. The agency has maintained that its existing preflight medical screening procedures remain robust.
Experienced Astronauts Onboard
Jessica Meir brings significant experience to the mission. A marine biologist by training, she previously served on the ISS and participated in the first all-female spacewalk, a milestone widely recognised in global space history.
Andrei Fedyaev, a former military pilot, has also completed prior space missions and is known for his operational expertise. Sophie Adenot becomes only the second French woman to travel into space, marking an important moment for France’s space programme.
Jack Hathaway, a US Navy captain, rounds out the crew. All four astronauts underwent years of intensive preparation, including survival training, emergency simulations and spacecraft systems operations.
Scientific Operations to Resume
With seven crew members now aboard, scientific experiments and maintenance schedules are expected to accelerate. The ISS hosts hundreds of studies spanning medical research, materials science and space biology.
Microgravity conditions allow scientists to observe phenomena that cannot be replicated on Earth. Fluids behave differently, muscle and bone density change, and even bacterial growth patterns vary in space.
Confidence in Safety Protocols
Despite the recent medical emergency, NASA has confirmed that it did not alter its preflight health assessments for the new crew. Officials indicated confidence in established screening systems.
The ISS remains one of humanity’s most ambitious scientific collaborations, involving the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada. Since its launch, the station has supported continuous human presence in space for over two decades.
The successful crew rotation signals operational stability and ensures that planned experiments, maintenance work and future spacewalks can proceed as scheduled.